A Close Call

[MICHAEL MATTHIAS WINSTON]

“Th…the bear is mommy.”
He said this rather quietly still, but he felt more comfortable around this woman now. She wasn’t forcing him into anything…and it wasn’t really too harmless..right? Just so long as she didn’t ask about his power, it was okay. Because other than that he was completely normal. Definitely.
“there…there were explosions. And everyone didn’t come out like I did.” He was really saying what he knew. Not everyone had made it out of his home place, and if they did, they weren’t with him. “A few weeks ago. A-and so I’ve been…” He trailed off at that point. Should he say he was living alone? No, that’s right, he had to say he was with someone. “I’ve been living with my bear…and cat’s. Big cats.” That oughta be good.
Michael was looking honest, and he fiddled loosely with the blankets that covered him. He liked to do that with things, to know that they were there by sense of touch, so he could put this sense of touch to his memory, and remember places he’d been or things he saw. It was smart for him, and made sense, so he knew where familiar places were, good or bad.

[DR HELEN MAGNUS]

A breath got caught in her throat for the moment, and her heart picked up the pace. The bear was mommy? It could only mean one thing – He had no mother, nor father. Of course, that was the first thing she picked up on when Will and Declan wheeled the boy into the Infirmary. But this statement just confirmed it to be true. This poor child did not have anyone. Well, not yet.

Explosions? Not everyone got out? Oh no.

Her voice quietened, and studied the boy as he spoke. He was telling the utmost truth. As much as a frightened young boy could. ”You’re from Praxis? …..Dear God.” Helen looked away, trying to fight back the urge to tear-up. Her motherly instincts went into overdrive. She could not believe it. Her heart felt heavy, and her breaths were shallow. She was afraid for him. The thought of a single young boy making it out of the now dust-filled Hollow Earth alive, sparked a sense of hope within her very soul. But she was saddened. So saddened that this boy had been on his own since it happened. No child should have to live like this. It was horrific.

She looked back at Michael, ”So you’ve been on your own the entire time?” Helen took in a deep breath, and then offered the boy a reassuring smile, ”You won’t have to be alone any more, Michael. This is the Sanctuary. My home, and home to many others. Here, you will be well-protected and looked after. There are many who live here who are special. Just like you. You are incredibly brave. If your parents are out there, I will keep looking for them. I will do my best.”

Helen placed a reassuring hand briefly on his arm, and squeezed lightly. Just to let him know he had someone. Maybe not his parents, but Helen and the Sanctuary was the best he had for the moment.

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[MICHAEL MATTHIAS WINSTON]

He should have flinched away, but she knew…she knew where he was from. Only the good people would already know where he was from, and want to help him. The effects of being sedated were going quickly, and he was a lot better than before, holding his bear tightly. He looked at Declan, still a bit suspicious of him, because he did not know how he’d gotten here, and hadn’t been asked, then back at his feet, now wriggling a little bit.
“I…I made…” He would pause, every time he tried to start this sentence, forcing himself to say it, but so that Declan would not hear. He trusted Magnus. She knew where he was from, after all. “I made…bad things go away. The bad…the bad people that hurt my mum and dad. I made it so I couldn’t hear them anymore.” Tears were now welling up in his eyes, he was scared. “I don’t want them t-to hurt mum and dad.”
It was an innocent truth, and innocent truth that kept himself closed, by not saying how, but let himself trust her enough to reach out and slowly make a grab for her shirt. He didn’t let go, though his eyes were not towards her. She said she would find mommy…so she was good. And she was bigger than him…she could protect him. He said nothing as he reached to get this small grip on her top, he merely took ahold of it. His hand still dirty, along with the rest of him, hiding the pale, fragile skin he had. It was something of his kind, if he knew any others, a trend might be noticed in them being so weak, but he was malnourished, not regular weak. It was most likely from trying to live on his own.

[DR HELEN MAGNUS]

[OOC: Sorry - This post turned out longer than I anticipated XD]

This situation meant more to Helen then the child realised. She really could not fathom why he was affecting her so emotionally. Though in all honesty, yes. It did have a lot to do with Ashley. Helen had not had a child interaction like this since Ashley and Henry were his age. It brought back so many memories, and rekindled a gentle touch she thought she’d lost as a mother.

But in another sense, she felt she was not worthy. Yes, she would protect and care for him at all costs. However given the devastation that came with losing Ashley, she could not bear to go through that again. She blamed Ashley’s death on herself. Every waking moment of her day, she never failed to think about this. And every moment she spent thinking about what she could have done to prevent it. It was an automatic thing. She could not help it, as it was always in her mind.

And she could bear to lose another innocent child because of her own recklessness. Despite the fact that this child was not hers, she feared she would fail once again. Not just as a mother, but as a guardian.

Helen blinked several times, as she heard the words spoken from Michael. She knew very well that the bad people this child was speaking of, was indeed Adam Worth, for he was the bastard behind the downfall of Praxis, ”The bad people won’t hurt you. You are safe here. I promise you that.”

Before Helen could say anything more, the child lunged at her. Not in an intimidating way, of course. But gently, and lovingly. At first she was taken aback, since it had been a while since she had experienced such a thing. But as she learned to accept to truth to the child’s fate, she had no other will to do anything more. She accepted him, and soon enough, the child clinged into her black blouse, and remained there for a bit. It definitely was not something she was expecting. In fact, she expected the opposite. But it was a start, and the boy was gaining more trust and confiding in her. Without really thinking, and despite knowing that Declan was still in the room, she placed a comforting hand on Michael and pulled him closer to her. Helen's expression turn from professional empathy, to a motherly love. She tried to blink back any tears that were threatening to form. This was unlike her. If Will and the others saw her like this, they would think were was a completely different woman. It was a side of her than anyone rarely saw. It was a mothering instinct which she could not help. But she wanted nothing more than this child to be safe, and find happiness once again.

She could feel the prominent bones on the child, which suggests that he had not had a decent meal since he left Praxis. He was malnourished, and weak. Anyone could have noticed that. His skin was pale and sallow, and she would have to keep an eye on any burns that may appear, considering this was the first time he ever saw the sun.

Helen only hoped she could keep the boy away from the danger of the current Abnormal crisis.

Slowly and gently she pulled the child away from her. Looking into his eyes with her azure blues, she gave the boy a reassuring smile. Without removing her hand from his back, she spoke, ”Now Michael, I need to find you some clean clothes, and a wash-bowl. I won’t be long. I will also be back with something for you to eat. You must be starving.” Helen gave the boy a quick squeeze of his shoulder, and rose up from the bed and she went to retrieve said items.

Before she left the room, she turned to Declan, ”Keep an eye on him. If anything else happens, call me. I will be back in a moment.” Then she left the room with swiftness in her step. She did not want to keep him waiting.

[OOC: Just letting you know, Helen will be back.]

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[MICHAEL MATTHIAS WINSTON]

(ooc: sorry...mine's a bit longer than yours. I must have gotten carried away as well.)

She returned the affection. All of it returned in the way her expression broke, and the way she pulled him in close. He wanted to stay like this, to stay next to a warm person, when he was obviously cold from his thin clothes and complexion. But she pulled away. Why did she pull away? It was true that Michael was hungry…but he would much rather stay with Helen Magnus. She was nicer to him than food and clothes could ever be. A wash would also be nice, but still. As she went to the door, he couldn’t help but feel dejected.

He watched her go, now sad. He didn’t want her to go…when she was gone, it meant that Michael wouldn’t be protected. His grey eyes scanned the room, now he was fully awake, and he tried to figure out where he was. She said the “sanctuary” but he didn’t really know what that meant, as a word, and what the building was for was also a mystery to him. The bear in his hand was squeezed just a bit tighter. He was a bit concerned about what she’d said. She promised him something. Promises were really big, and he was worried that she just said things, and didn’t mean them. But he knew that he had to trust someone. If he didn’t then the bad people would get him too.

His eyes closed for a brief moment, and then opened again, trying to see if he could find out what this place was about. After a quick glance at Declan, he turned his head and let himself slip into his power. He searched through the signals, but only in this place, intercepting just to see what was going on.

There were many things with signals, some of them were electronic locks, and some just a persons phone. But there were also computers, and lots of them. The boy was absorbed in his power, his eyes once again black, with green binary code. He didn’t know anyone else that could do that, like he could. Even the other kids he played with sometimes from an EM tribe couldn’t do that. He read things, he interpreted signals, even if they were encrypted. He was in fact about to delve into the files in one computer signal he found.

It was hard. He had to focus only on looking at the files, and yet, he couldn’t. He read them, some at least, and saw there were many abnormals, like him. Yet, every time he saw the word “abnormal,” he changed it to the phrase “Special humans, just like you.” He hated it. The word made him scared and isolated. There were many, many files he changed before the boy finally drew himself out. He was thrown back into reality quickly.

His knees moved into his chest, and his eyes seemed to be open slightly. Helen Magnus wasn’t back. He could only assume she wasn’t coming back. A feeling of light abandonment, for which he seemed to have a past with, swept over the thin-framed little child. Memories swarmed him from each side as he tried to just stay calm…make them go away.

When he was forced from his home. When he saw it destroyed. When he tried to find a home, or a place to stay. All of these memories came back to him in sharp focus. He never forgot them. They wouldn’t go away, no matter how much he wished they would. He took in a shuddering breath, his eyes closing tightly. He wanted to make sure he didn’t cry, even if a few small drops were already forming. He’d had no time to cry, or be upset, after he saw his home go away. Even the large scratches and bruises beneath his clothes didn’t get the chance to be cried over. But now…he felt safe. He felt like he could cry. Michael didn’t want to, because that Declan person was in the room as well, but he was sad.

There wasn’t anything he would have wished for more in the world right now. Michael let out his breath, and another shuddering inhale took it’s place. He just wanted his mum. Not his bear, which was still held in an iron death grip, but his real mum. Not adoptive either. The mum that left him alone as a baby with strangers. He couldn’t help but feel she would know what to do. He still loved his mother, no matter what. Would she do what he was doing? Would she try not to cry?

He took a sniff in after letting the breath go out once again. He couldn’t cry. He shouldn’t cry. And yet, he could already feel the small streams of tears on each side of his face. It was different up here. There was a big yellow ball in the sky that made his eyes hurt when he looked at it, there was a grey thing there in it’s place every night, with bright white spots next to it, and there were no abnormals he could just casually meet, and play with.

It was different from home. Home was gone, but he wanted it back. It was less confusing, and his stomach was more full than it had been in weeks every day at home. Here…it was hurting, and he was covered in dirt and scratches. Another few sniffles were made, quietly, for he mostly wanted to hide that he was crying at all. He just wanted…he wanted to make sure he knew he was sad…and let it out. Abnormal…he wasn’t abnormal at all. Through what he’d been through, he was more human than the humans themselves.

[DR HELEN MAGNUS]

[OOC: I think I bet your post XD Oops lol! I may post one more time in this thread, then sadly, i'll have to get Helen to leave.]

Helen was not the type of woman to keep people waiting. Always the first the arrive, either be in the field, or an interstate conference…She was virtually the most punctual and precise woman you would ever meet. ‘Prim and proper’, as Will would blatantly put it. But that wasn’t the reason why. She just hated wasting time.

Ironic.

Helen took perhaps, five minutes maximum, moving swiftly to other parts of the Sanctuary to retrieve some things for Michael. Usually she’d have Biggie bring them to her, but given the sensitive state the boy was in, she didn’t think he was ready to see a Sasquatch just yet. Although, she managed to get in touch with him on the way, just to see if had finished up in the surgery room. All went well, as expected. She let him know of Michael’s situation, and then Biggie offered to make a tray of ham a cheese sandwiches for Helen to take to him. With that taken care of, Helen made her way over to the storage room, in order to find some clean clothes for him.

The storage room was actually quite an interesting place, as it contained many period pieces that belonged to Helen. Everything in that room was sentimental and dear to her heart. Whether it was her old Victorian corseted dresses from the period she grew up in, to the swinging sixties, and even some old uniforms from the time she volunteered in World War One and Two. She loved everything she owned.

But that was not the reason she was here. In the other old antique wardrobe situated in the corner, contained clothes that did not belong to her. As strange as that sounded, most of the items belonged to Ashley and Henry’s clothes when he was a boy. In fact, you could even find the occasional shirt from Druitt back when they still used to be together. You would think after the heartache the man had put her through in the course of her life, that she would have burned it decades ago. But they say the first love is always the strongest. Somewhere, deep within her torn heart, was still a love she was yet to understand. Besides his Ripper demeanour, she missed what they had. She missed their undying love for each other. But it was not a simple case of a break-up. Their relationship had more twists and turns than an American soap opera. Kind of ridiculous, really, but she could not change the past.

She managed to scan through the items of clothing, and picked out several small shirts and trousers that Henry used to own. After all, Helen had basically taken in Henry and adopted him, in his youth. The thought never really occurred to her, that she may be doing the same with little Michael as well. Who thought Helen would be in the right mind to step back into motherhood again? After the tragedy with Ashley, she has sworn never to have kids again. Well, for a very long while. She was barely ready to take that selfish step.

Helen then quickly made her way out of the room, and headed towards the kitchen to collect the sandwiches. As she walked in with bundles of clothes piled into a small bag, she noticed Biggie was there finishing up. He turned to her, and tilted his head to one side.

”….Long story.”

Biggie grunted in acknowledgement. If anyone knew Helen well, it was him. He took note of the softness in her face, something that could only be triggered emotionally. Helen refused to look him in the eyes, simply because this boy had affected her more than even she could believe. As Helen went to take hold of the tray, Biggie just stood there and lightly tapped Helen’s arm.

”You have a fondness for this child. I can tell. ” His voice was husky, yet he was sincere. He was like a gentle giant. Although he was a physically strong being, emotionally, he was as soft as you could get.

Helen flinched slightly, but Biggie took notice of this straight away. She was silent for a moment. Her eyes scanned the aged face of the Sasquatch, yet really, she could not find the words to describe how she was feeling. It was more than just looking after an innocent child. It was rekindling motherhood. Something she thought she’d lost three years ago. ”He does not have any one. He had only just escaped from Praxis, as it was torn apart. Since then, he’s been living on his own. He’s only nine years old. Nine years, old friend. He needs my help.”

Helen voice wavered for a moment, as she looked back into Biggies dark orbs, ”Then you must go to him. We will be sure to find the fate of his parents. No child should be alone. ” Helen nodded, as she picked up the tray of sandwiches and made her way back up to the Infirmary. She hoped she didn’t leave the boy alone for too long. The last thing she wanted for the child, was for the boy to feel lost and alone once more. Helen was determined to make sure those cold lonely days were over.

Finally reaching she room, she flashed the boy a genuine, warm smile as she set the tray of sandwiches on the bed in front of him, along with the clothes she had collected. She went over to his stack of pillows, and propped them up in a comfortable position. ”There you go, Michael. Eat as much as you’d like. You need your strength.” With that, Helen reached over to the bedside table and poured the child a glass of cool water that was stationed beside him, and handed it to the boy. Without another word, she decided to wait until the boy finished eating, before saying anything else. At the same time, Helen had retrieved a large silver bowl and filled it with cool water, in which she dropped a small towel inside to soak up. Looking back to the boy, she took the bowl, and set herself down beside him on a separate chair.

She motioned to the clothes that were now lying on his bed, ”Michael – I have some clothes for you to wear. Once I clean you up, you can change into them. You will feel much better in clean clothes, I’m sure. ” With a warm smile on her face, she grabbed the soaked towel, and began to tenderly wipe away all the dirt and grime from the child’s face. Who knew where this child had been, and given the dangerous gang-ridden streets of Old City, she was utterly gobsmacked as to how he managed to survive on his own. Not to mention all the stray Abnormals, dangerous or viral, that may even plague the streets. In fact, she was even surprised the military haven’t hunted him down yet.

But he was alive. That was the main thing.

”You are incredibly lucky to be alive, Michael. The world is a very big place, even for a young boy to wander around alone. “ As she began wipe more dirt of his face, she could see the true paleness of his skin. Despite the rough life the boy had lived, she saw the softness in his cheeks. He was so very young. His hair was a mess. Lengthy, but spiked up in all directions. His eyes, on the other hand, blinked back large blue orbs. So bright, Helen seemed to be lost within them. To her, he was only a young child. A young, innocent child. All Abnormalities pushed aside.

He needed her. That was all there is too it.

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[MICHAEL MATTHIAS WINSTON]

Michael heard Helen Magnus come in and he looked up with bright eyes. She was back, with food and clothes like she said she’d get. She hadn’t lied to him at all. Michael closed his eyes for a moment, and he rubbed away some of the tears on his face. He didn’t want o show that to anyone, that weakness.

The sandwiches looked a lot better than anything he’d managed to get for a little while, and he looked at them hesitantly before he slowly took a bite of one, and then he started eating very quickly. It was as though he thought the food would be taken from him or something. He just wanted to eat it all really quickly. He’d actually finished the food in record time, and then, and only then, he looked back at Helen Magnus. She was being so, so kind to him. He trusted her…definitely. And, he already felt stronger.
His eyes were open now, very clear and very sincere. It was clear that some of the color had returned to him, perhaps from all the food he’d eaten, and sleep he got. Mostly, it was due to the power balance he’d been able to reach. Michael sat up, and then he slowly lifted his legs from beneath the blankets, and moved to sit with them touching the floor. His toes wriggled a little bit, and he pushed them on the floor. Though he was definitely weak, he always had been, and he was quite a bit better.

“I...feel better.” This was something he muttered in all sincerity, of course. “Where do I go now?” This was the biggest question he had. Now that he felt better, did he go back where he was living? There were also some abnormals that were locked up…would he be one? He hoped not.

[DR HELEN MAGNUS]

Helen smiled, making her face glow somewhat.

”Right, Michael. I have some clothes here for you, so pick whichever one you’d like. For now, you need your rest, “ Helen nodded as she rose up from the bed, and retrieved a small beeper on the side. She placed it beside the boy on his bed. ”Do you see this red button here? If you start to feel sick, or otherwise, press that button and I will come to you right away.”

She really hated to leave the boy, but too many errands needed her immediate attention. So many things were running through Helen’s mind, and yet she needed to take things one thing at a time. She was exhausted, but she refused to rest until everything was taken care of. She still needed to contact Lilian Lee about any updates within the Abnormal camp, and she needed to settle in a few more Abnormals into the guest quarters. It seems at this rate, she could be running out of room.

Before Helen turned to leave, she placed a soft hand to rest against the boy’s cheek. It was only brief, but it was the least comfort she could give him. He needed reassurance, and that was Helen did. Offering another smile, she spoke again, ”You shall be better by tomorrow, if you get your rest. Then I can put you in your own room. I’m sure there are plenty of residents her that would love to meet you, Michael. I will see you soon. Be sure to rest now.”

With that, Helen turned to leave. She knew deep down, that if she were to glance back at the boy, she would never want to leave his side again. Who knew she could get so attached?

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[Deleted]

(OOC: SORRY for the delay, but i have had a rough and tumble week compared to what normally goes on)

Declan stood watch over the boy as Helen treated him. No, not "the boy," Michael, as he had told Magnus. Declan was always amazed at her ability to quickly gain someone's trust and become their friend. It was skill that he just didn't seem to have, probably due to all his military training. There hadn't been a huge emphasis on people/social skills, especially with young children. Actually, now that he thought about it, he really hadn't had any contact with a young child for any length of time.

He watched as Magnus quietly, calmly but swiftly found out Michael's name and the fact that he was from Praxis. This fact alone explained a lot, both why Michael was alone and why there seemed to be no other Abnormal with abilities quite like his own. There were Abnormals that were currently being relocated back to Praxis that had similar EM abilities, but none to the degree that Michael had. Declan wondered what effect caring for Michael was having on Magnus. Ashley's loss was still recent, and he imagined that it still had an affect on her.
Bringing himself back to the present, he watched as she got up to get some things for Michael. He agreed to watch Michael while she briefly left the room. He knew that Michael still didn't fully trust him, so he contented himself with a small smile in the boy's direction and a quick check of his vital signs. While he waited, he quickly sent a text to Smithson, his field agent, asking him to check with the EM tribe about a boy named Michael and whether they knew anything about his parents. Hopefully someone would know something, and maybe, just maybe, Michale would get to see his parents again.

Magnus seemed to be taking a few minutes to gather everything, so cautiously, Declan approached Michael. "How're you feeling, mate?" He didn't expect a response, but he wanted to find some way to make Michael comfortable with his surroundings. Magnus wasn't always going to be there, and Michael was going to have to start to get used to others. Declan thought that he might have a chance because he met him in the alleyway and brought him to the Sanctuary. It might be a little too soon, but he felt that he had to try.

Soon after, Magnus came back in with clothing, food and water for Michael and by the look in his eyes, it was the most that Michael had seen in a while. He started to look better almost immediately, though it would take a lot of water and several more square meals before his skin lost the sallow tinge and he began to put weight back on. It was obvious that Michael felt better almost immediately, but didn't want Magnus to leave. For now, both Declan and Magnus had a lot to do. Just because Michael appeared didn't mean that all of the other problems went away. "Michael, like Magnus said, if you need anything or if you start to feel worse, press that button. Either she or I will be there to help as soon as we can. You're safe now." With that, he turned quietly and followed Magnus out of the room off to the guest quarters that were his whenever he was at the Sanctuary.

[MICHAEL MATTHIAS WINSTON]

Michael stood from his bed and got changed into a pair of clothes. he was quite a bit more...awake than he had been in a while, so he got on a regular outfit. A t-shirt, and some jeans. Carefully though, he fell a lot, but he was sure not to press the button. He really didn't want any help from anyone.

Michael was dressed and he combed his hair back a little bit, then made sure to clean off the rest of his face. He couldn't find a mirror in the room to look at so the young boy assumed he was clean enough. He'd eaten all the food, and though magnus had told him to stay in there, he didn't know the building he was in, and decided to go an explore the room. After all, it wasn't every day you were picked up in the streets and brought somewhere foreign, and odd. He walked to the door, and the boy slowly opened it and then left the room.